In this episode of Sports Buzz, The Federal’s Abhijit Singh Bhambra spoke with Aprameya C to decode the road ahead for the Shubman Gill-led India as they gear up to face England in a five-Test series starting in Headingley, Leeds, from Friday (June 20).

The Indian Test team is in a transition phase with Gill as the new captain after the recent retirements of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli.

India hasn’t won a Test series in England since 2007. With Shubman Gill as the new captain, what are your expectations from him as a leader and batter?

As you rightly pointed out, the last time India won a Test series in England was in 2007 under Rahul Dravid’s captaincy. This time, it’s going to be even tougher. Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma — two legends — have retired from the format.

So, it’s a new era. Shubman Gill is not just a young captain but also has to deliver as a batter. It’s also Gautam Gambhir’s first England tour as coach. Beating England in their backyard is never easy, and Gill will be under dual pressure. It will be a baptism by fire, but with strong support staff and squad depth, I’m sure he’ll be up for the challenge.

That said, I would still install England as favourites in this five-Test series.

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Historically, India has won only 9 Tests in England over 80-plus years. With England’s aggressive ‘Bazball’ approach and no Kohli, Rohit, or Ashwin, how do you assess India’s chances?

To win a Test, you need to take 20 wickets, and Jasprit Bumrah will lead that attack. Everything rests on his shoulders.

He didn’t take the captaincy because he won’t play all five Tests. The tour’s start is crucial, and Headingley, Leeds, is not a traditional opening venue in England. Conditions will play a part, but there’s no doubt the load on Bumrah is massive.

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Apart from Bumrah, who else do you think will be crucial in the bowling department?

Along with Bumrah, Mohammad Siraj and Prasidh Krishna will have to step up. Ravindra Jadeja, the senior-most player with 80 Tests under his belt, has a massive role both as a batter and bowler.

KL Rahul is the next most experienced with 58 Tests. If Bumrah sets the tone early, especially in the first Test, it could boost the team’s morale significantly.

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Let’s talk about England. Their aggressive style has worked well at home but failed in India. Can Indian bowlers counter the ‘Bazball’ strategy this time?

England plays only one way — aggressively, from ball one. They’ve redefined Test cricket. But the more they attack, the more chances Indian bowlers have to take wickets. If England loses 2-3 early wickets, they’ll have to change their approach.

Joe Root will be key. He’s the best at playing traditional Test cricket. If he holds one end up while others go hard, it’ll be tricky. But yes, India’s success will depend a lot on how well they start each Test.

Also, England doesn’t bother much about the World Test Championship (WTC) standings; they just want to entertain. That unpredictability can either work for them or backfire badly.

India hasn’t had a smooth transition in red-ball cricket lately. What challenges does this transition phase pose for Team India?

Yes, red-ball cricket hasn’t been smooth. India got whitewashed at home by New Zealand and lost the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. That cost us a place in the World Test Championship (WTC) final, which South Africa eventually won.

This series marks the beginning of the 2025–27 WTC cycle. If India starts badly, it could hurt their chances again. In contrast, white-ball cricket has been great. But Tests are in a transition phase. With Gill’s leadership and coach Gautam Gambhir’s guidance, hopefully India can turn a new leaf and approach this cycle afresh.

Shubman may even take Virat Kohli’s No. 4 spot. Let’s hope he shines.

England has already named their playing XI. What kind of combination should India go with at Headingley, considering the cloudy conditions?

From England, Joe Root is the biggest threat, followed by Ollie Pope — though he’ll be under pressure with Jacob Bethell waiting in the wings. Harry Brook, too, can be dangerous. Openers like Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett can give them fast starts.

For India, I’d go with Yashasvi Jaiswal and KL Rahul as openers. At No. 3, maybe Sai Sudharsan could debut. I’d like to see Karun Nair come back — he deserves it based on domestic form. Then at No. 4, Gill. Followed by Karun Nair, and Rishabh Pant at No. 6.

Jadeja at 7, then maybe Nitish Kumar Reddy or Shardul Thakur as the all-rounder. Fast bowlers would be Bumrah, Prasidh Krishna, and Mohammed Siraj.

A good start from Rahul and Jaiswal would be vital. Also, Pant now has extra responsibility as vice-captain. He must play responsibly, though not lose his natural aggression. We don’t want Sunil Gavaskar calling his shots “stupid” again!

Who are your favourites for the series? And name one player from each side who could make the biggest impact.

Since it’s in England, I’d pick England as the favourites. I won’t predict a scoreline, but yes, they’re slightly ahead.

From England, Joe Root is my key player, along with inspirational captain Ben Stokes, who can change games with bat and ball.

For India, it has to be Jasprit Bumrah. If he stays fit and fires, he’ll make a big difference. And I’m backing Shubman Gill to have a good series too.

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